<sigh> I just noticed that they are upside down--I'm on my way out. Hopefully I will fix that later.

Looks like I missed my chance to edit the post. Well, at least now I don't have to search for the photos again, open them in another program, and save them so they show up right-side-up.

They are all right side up in the folder--but, I think I recall that someone mentioned that there is a code that keeps them right side up...and that WG does not have this newer feature (sorry, for the layman's explanation...I hope that was fairly accurate).

Maybe I'll add more photos later if I find them soon.

__________________"If suburbia were landscaped with meadows, prairies, thickets or forests, or combinations of these, then the water would sparkle, fish would be good to eat again, birds would sing and human spirits would soar." ~ Lorrie Otto
~ A Native Backyard Blog ~

I am thinking that I am gonna like the "Serpentine gravel forb community"...I also have visions of creating a gravelly area with thin grasses and such--hoping to create habitat for killdeer--for some reason, I would really like to have them here.

__________________"If suburbia were landscaped with meadows, prairies, thickets or forests, or combinations of these, then the water would sparkle, fish would be good to eat again, birds would sing and human spirits would soar." ~ Lorrie Otto
~ A Native Backyard Blog ~

__________________"If suburbia were landscaped with meadows, prairies, thickets or forests, or combinations of these, then the water would sparkle, fish would be good to eat again, birds would sing and human spirits would soar." ~ Lorrie Otto
~ A Native Backyard Blog ~

It's always fun to explore native plant communities. It's interesting to see what nature has decided about which plants go well together. You might be able to get some ideas for selecting the plants for your community from...Terrestrial Communities of Pennsylvania

Serpentine pitch pine - oak forest
This community type is part of the "Serpentine barrens complex." It occurs in
areas underlain by serpentine bedrock where soil development has proceeded
far enough to support forest vegetation, but not so far as to override the
influence of serpentine chemistry on species composition. Fire is an important
factor in the establishment and persistence of pitch pine. In the absence of fire,
pine is likely to decrease in favor of hardwood species. Characteristic overstory
species include Quercus stellata (post oak), Q. marilandica (blackjack oak),
Pinus rigida (pitch pine), Sassafras albidum (sassafras), Juniperus virginiana
(red-cedar), Nyssa sylvatica (black-gum), Populus grandidentata (large-toothed
aspen), and Robinia pseudoacacia (black locust)—which is generally
invasive in these systems. The shrub layer is often dominated by an
impenetrable tangle of Smilax rotundifolia (greenbrier) and S. glauca (catbrier).
Q. prinoides (chinquapin oak) occurs in the understory and in openings;
Quercus ilicifolia (scrub oak) is also present in openings. Low shrub species
include Vaccinium pallidum (lowbush blueberry), V. stamineum (deerberry), and
Gaylussacia baccata (black huckleberry). Herbaceous species include Pteridium
aquilinum (bracken fern), Aralia nudicaulis (wild sarsaparilla), and a variety of
graminoids.
Related types: The "Serpentine Virginia pine - oak forest" type also occurs on
serpentinite-derived soils and shares many species with this type. The Virginia
pine type is dominated by a mixture of Pinus virginiana and various oaks. P.
virginiana produces denser shade and thicker litter than does P. rigida.
Herbaceous and shrub growth under P. virginiana is generally sparse. The fire
ecology of the two species is also vastly different. For a more detailed
explanation of the ecology of serpentine barrens, see the description of the
"Serpentine barrens complex."
Range: Piedmont.
Selected references: Latham 1992, Roger Latham-personal communication,
PNDI field surveys.
[Crosswalk: Smith's "Eastern Serpentine Barren" (in part), TNC's Quercus falcata - Quercus
alba Forest Alliance, SAF's Pitch pine

__________________"If suburbia were landscaped with meadows, prairies, thickets or forests, or combinations of these, then the water would sparkle, fish would be good to eat again, birds would sing and human spirits would soar." ~ Lorrie Otto
~ A Native Backyard Blog ~

I am thinking that I am gonna like the "Serpentine gravel forb community"...I also have visions of creating a gravelly area with thin grasses and such--hoping to create habitat for killdeer--for some reason, I would really like to have them here.

When you create your gravelly area don't forget about choosing the right kind of gravel, granite for acidic or limestone for alkaline.

Killdeer chicks are really neat little birds.

__________________
.
Age is a biological fact.
Old is a state of mind.
I will age, but I refuse to get old.

When you create your gravelly area don't forget about choosing the right kind of gravel, granite for acidic or limestone for alkaline.

Killdeer chicks are really neat little birds.

Hmm....good point. I had planned to/considered using locally sourced gravel that is from less than a mile away--removed from what used to be a farm field and was likely deposited by glaciers (the area is a floodplain, I believe)...and the gravel is rounded much like what I find while digging in my own yard.

Would this be appropriate for an area of sparse grasses and shorter wildflowers?

I'd love to see the adults--the chicks would be an amazing bonus! I've seen photos of them, and they are adorable.

__________________"If suburbia were landscaped with meadows, prairies, thickets or forests, or combinations of these, then the water would sparkle, fish would be good to eat again, birds would sing and human spirits would soar." ~ Lorrie Otto
~ A Native Backyard Blog ~

We don't have one here at the house, but there is a rock garden at the Harmony demonstration gardens. It's not really alpine though. It's a collection of some native plants and some non-native plants. We incorporate native plants wherever we can, but sometimes you just have to go with the flow.

__________________
.
Age is a biological fact.
Old is a state of mind.
I will age, but I refuse to get old.

Hmm....good point. I had planned to/considered using locally sourced gravel that is from less than a mile away--removed from what used to be a farm field and was likely deposited by glaciers (the area is a floodplain, I believe)...and the gravel is rounded much like what I find while digging in my own yard.

Would this be appropriate for an area of sparse grasses and shorter wildflowers?

I'd love to see the adults--the chicks would be an amazing bonus! I've seen photos of them, and they are adorable.

I'm sure the locally sourced gravel would be appropriate for your yard, but I was thinking more about matching the needs of the plants that you select for your gravelly area to your selection of gravel type.

__________________
.
Age is a biological fact.
Old is a state of mind.
I will age, but I refuse to get old.

We don't have one here at the house, but there is a rock garden at the Harmony demonstration gardens. It's not really alpine though. It's a collection of some native plants and some non-native plants. We incorporate native plants wherever we can, but sometimes you just have to go with the flow.

Thought you used to have one upon a slight hill at your place but then again It's been many many many years since I've been there. Maybe you've moved since?About all I can remember of the area was it seemed a bit higher with maybe sedums and low growing creepy crawling alpine species that could take the drier climate it seemed to have, and flatish rocks here and there. Perhaps you called it something other in its days or perhaps it was just a natural area nothing you planted that I had noticed. Thought maybe you might have had a few pointers for Dapjwy if I had brought it to mind.

__________________The successful woman is the woman that had the chance and took it!

I'm sure the locally sourced gravel would be appropriate for your yard, but I was thinking more about matching the needs of the plants that you select for your gravelly area to your selection of gravel type.

I guess that I am sort of torn between growing what is most appropriate for our yard...and still incorporating a wider variety of habitats and plants. I struggle with the idea of having to modify what is already growing here to create ideal growing conditions for specialized plants. That seems a bit too much like what the gardening industry does--not the right plant for the right site; force the site to fit the plant by using artificial means.

At the same time, I really do like the idea of creating as diverse a collection of natives and habitats on our (relatively small) two acres (--for such a big plan). Even bringing in that small amount of shale altered the property--and probably didn't alter it enough to support the plants that I am trying for.

Still, digging a pond and installing a liner is creating an artificial habitat--but one that I really desire...and one that would definitely benefit wildlife (nearby water source)...and allow me to grow a wider range of natives.

So, I guess I need to come to terms with what I really want to do with the property.

Any feedback would be appreciated.

Also, if I were to go with a wider range of habitats--ideally, I'd love an alkaline barren AND an acidic one! (I think I need more information about the two and which plants each supports.)

__________________"If suburbia were landscaped with meadows, prairies, thickets or forests, or combinations of these, then the water would sparkle, fish would be good to eat again, birds would sing and human spirits would soar." ~ Lorrie Otto
~ A Native Backyard Blog ~